Yes, it has been 35 years since the debut of the Miata MX-5. When it first came out, reviewers were more than lavish in their praise. Astonishment might be more accurate. Astonished that such a pure sports car, in concept and execution, could be made by a mainstream manufacturer. In that time and across four design generations, the car has won more “of the year” and “best of” awards than anyone, even at Mazda, can recall without a cheat-sheet. The Guinness World Records declared it the best-selling convertible two-seater sports car of all time, and that was 25 years ago. Coming out a tad late is the Miata 35th Anniversary Edition. It is clearly beautiful and limited to just 300 models in the U.S. Team Gillman Mazda tells you more about this special car.

Quite frankly, this model follows the tradition established by previous anniversary-edition Miatas. Nearly all of them have featured special exterior paint, a tan soft top with a matching interior, and unique wheels. In a nutshell, that same formula describes the 35th Anniversary Edition.

The exterior is Artisan Red Metallic, which appears as a cross between plum and burgundy. The paint is a product of Mazda's Takuminuri paint process, in which paint containing ultra-thin, high-luminance aluminum flakes is applied meticulously to achieve uniform thickness, then dramatically shrinks in volume during the drying process to form the reflective layer. The result is an extremely thin reflective layer of approximately 0.5 microns, about 7% of the thickness of a typical reflective layer, yet the surface looks like you could dip your fingers into it. This is the process that made Mazda’s Soul Red such an eye-grabbing sight on the road. 

Complementing the Artisan Red is a tan canvas top that, like all soft-top Miatas, can be raised and lowered manually from the driver’s seat. The unique 17-inch wheels feature a six-split-spoke design with a bright, gleaming finish. Inside, the top is matched by tan Nappa leather, along with matching carpet and floor mats, and a 35th Anniversary logo embossed in the headrests. The exterior color carries through inside on the upper door trim and the trim surrounding the dash vents. 

Mazda keeps the Special Edition treatments restrained because it does not want anything to get in the way of how the Miata drives, which remains among the purest, smile-inducing sports car experiences in the industry. The model hasn’t been frozen in time. Over the years, it has seen modest gains in power and has kept up with tech expectations. But the car isn’t any larger than it has been and still delivers the same sense of meaning the oneness between rider and horse, that it always has. To that end, all 35 Anniversary Edition Miata are fitted with the 6-speed manual, keeping the experience as pure as the original.

With just 300 examples allotted to the United States, the 35th Anniversary Edition was an exceptionally limited model. However, you can experience everything that makes this legendary roadster special by exploring our current selection of Mazda MX-5 Miata models and Mazda MX-5 Miata RF models. Contact the Team Gillman Mazda sales team to learn more about available trims, features, and colors.